’Thankyou，Iamnottiredyet，’saidClara，notchangingthefixedglanceofnationalwrathwithwhichsheregardedherwoodenSiseraassheheldherhammeronhigh。
’ButIam。There；wewillrestforamoment。’DalrymplewasawarethatMrsDobbsBroughton，thoughshewasveryassiduousinpilingherfagots，neverpiledthemforlongtogether。Ifhedidnotmakehasteshewouldbebackuponthembeforehecouldgethiswordspoken。Whenheputdownhisbrush，andgotupfromhischair，andstretchedouthisarmasamandoeswhenheceasesforamomentfromhiswork，Claraofcoursegotupalso，andseatedherself。Shewasusedtoherturbanandherdrapery，andthereforethoughtofitnotatall；andhealsowasusedtoit，seeingherinittwoorthreetimesaweek；butnowthatheintendedtoaccomplishaspecialpurpose，theturbananddraperyseemedtobeintheway。’Idosohopeyouwilllikethepicture，’hesaid，ashewasthinkingofthis。
’Idon’tthinkIshall。Butyouwillunderstandthatitisnaturalthatagirlshouldnotlikeherselfinsuchaportraitureasthat。’
’Idon’tknowwhy。Icanunderstandthatyouspeciallyshouldnotlikethepicture；butIthinkthatmostwomeninLondoninyourplacewouldatanyratesaythattheydid。’
’Areyouangrywithme？’
’What；fortellingthetruth？No，indeed。’Hewasstandingoppositetohiseasel，lookingatthecanvas，shiftinghisheadaboutsoastochangethelights，andobservingcriticallythisblemishandthat；andyethewasallthewhilethinkinghowhehadbestcarryouthispurpose。
’Itwillhavebeenaprosperouspicturetome，’hesaidatlast，’ifitleadstothesuccessofwhichIamambitious。’
’Iamtoldthatallyoudoissuccessfulnow——merelybecauseyoudoit。
Thatistheworstofsuccess。’
’Whatistheworstofsuccess？’
’Thatwhenwonbymerititleadstofurthersuccess，forthegainingofwhichnomeritisnecessary。’
’Itmaybesoinmycase。Ifitisnot，Ishallhaveaverypoorchance。Clara，IthinkyoumustknowthatIamnottalkingaboutmypictures。’
’Ithoughtyouwere。’
’IndeedIamnot。Asforsuccessinmyprofession，farasIamfromthinkingImeritit，IfeeltolerablycertainthatIshallobtainit。’
’Youhaveobtainedit。’
’Iaminthewayofdoingso。Perhapsoneoutoftenstrugglingartistsissuccessful，andforhimtheprofessionisverycharming。Itiscertainlyasadfeelingthatthereissomuchofchanceinthedistributionoftheprizes。Itisalottery。Butonecannotcomplainofthatwhenonehasdrawntheprize。’Dalrymplewasnotamanwithoutself—possession，norwashereadilyabashed，buthefounditeasiertotalkofhispossessionthantomakehisoffer。Theturbanwashisdifficulty。Hehadtoldhimselfoverandoveragainwithinthelastfiveminutes，thathewouldhavelongsincesaidwhathehadtosayhaditnotbeenforthatturban。Hehadbeenpaintingallhislifefromlivingmodels——fromwomendressedupinthisorthatcostume，tosuitthenecessitiesofhispicture——buthehadnevermadelovetoanyofthem。
Theyhadbeensimplymodelstohim，andnowhefoundthattherewasadifficulty。’Ofthatprize，’hesaid，’Ihavemademyselftolerablysure；butastotheotherprize，Idonotknow。IwonderwhetherIamtohavethat。’OfcourseMissVanSieverunderstoodwellwhatwastheprizeofwhichhewasspeaking；andasshewasayoungwomanwithawillandpurposeofherown，nodoubtshewasreadypreparedwithananswer。Butitwasnecessarythatthequestionshouldbeputtoherinproperlydistinctterms。ConwayDalrymplecertainlyhadnotputhisquestioninproperlydistincttermsatpresent。Shedidnotchoosetomakeanyanswertohislastwords；andthereforesimplysuggestedthatastimewaspressinghehadbettergetonwithhiswork。’Iamquitereadynow，’
saidshe。
’Stophalfamoment。HowmuchmoreyouarethinkingofthepicturethanIam！Idonotcaretwopenceforthepicture。Iwillslitthecanvasfromtoptobottomwithoutagroan——withoutasingleinnergroan——ifyouwillletme。’
’Forheaven’ssake，donothingofthekind！Whyshouldyou？’
’JusttoshowyouthatitisnotforthesakeofthepicturethatIcomehere。Clara——’Thenthedoorwasopened，andIsaacappeared，naturecouldpilenomore。ConwayDalrymple，whohadmadehiswayalmostuptoClara’sseat，turnedroundsharplytowardshiseasel，inanger，athavingbeendisturbed。HeshouldhavebeenmoregratefulforallthathisIsaachaddoneforhim，andhaverecognisedthefactthatthefaulthadbeenwithhimself。MrsBroughtonhadbeentwelveminutesoutoftheroom。Shehadcountedthemtobefifteen——havingnodoubtmadeamistakeastothree——andhadtoldherselfthatwithsuchaoneasConwayDalrymple，withsomuchoftheworkreadydonetohishandforhim，fifteenminutesshouldhavebeenamplysufficient。Whenwereflectwhatherownthoughtsmusthavebeenduringtheinterval——whatitistohavetopileupsuchfagotsasthose，howshewas，asitwere，givingawayafreshmorselofherownheartduringeachminutethatsheallowedClaraandConwayDalrympletoremaintogether，itcannotsurpriseusthathereyesshouldhavebecomedizzy，andthatsheshouldnothavecountedtheminuteswithaccuratecorrectness。Dalrympleturnedtohispictureangrily，butMissVanSieverkeptherseatanddidnotshowtheslightestemotion。
’Myfriends，’saidMrsBroughton，’thiswillnotdo。Thisisnotworking；thisisnotsitting。’
’MrDalrymplehadbeenexplainingtometheprecariousnatureofanartist’sprofession，’saidClara。
’Itisnotprecariouswithhim，’saidMrsDobbsBroughton，sententiously。
’Notinageneralway，perhaps；buttoprovethetruthofhiswordshewasgoingtotreatJaelworsethanJaeltreatsSisera。’
’Iwasgoingtoslitthepicturefromthetoptothebottom。’
’Andwhy？’saidMrsBroughton，puttingherhandstoheavenintragichorror。
’JusttoshowMissVanSieverhowlittleIcareaboutit。’
’Andhowlittleyoucareabouther，too，’saidMrsBroughton。
’Shemighttakethatasshelike。’Afterthistherewasanothergenuinesitting，andtherealworkwentonasthoughtherehadbeennoepisode。
Jaelfixedherface，andheldherhammerasthoughhermindandheartweresolelybentonseemingtobeslayingSisera。Dalrympleturnedhiseyesfromthecanvastothemodel，andfromthemodeltothecanvas，workingwithhishandallthewhile，asthoughthatlastpathetic’Clara’hadneverbeenuttered；andMrsDobbsBroughtonreclinedonasofa，lookingatthemandthinkingofherownsingularlyromanticposition，tillhermindwasfilledwithapoeticfrenzy。InonemomentsheresolvedthatshewouldhateClaraasawomanwasneverhatedbywoman；andthenthereweredaggers，andpoison—cups，andstranglingcordsinhereye。InthenextshewasasfirmlydeterminedthatshewouldloveMrsConwayDalrympleaswomanwasneverlovedbywoman；andthenshesawherselfkneelingbyacradle，andtenderlynursingababy，ofwhichConwaywastobethefatherandClarathemother。Andsoshewenttosleep。
ForsometimeDalrympledidnotobservethis；butatlasttherewasalittlesound——eventheill—natureofMissDemolinescouldhardlyhavecalleditasnore——andhebecameawarethatforpracticalpurposesheandMissVanSieverwereagainalonetogether。’Clara，’hesaidinawhisper。MrsBroughtoninstantlyarousedherselffromherslumbers，andrubbedhereyes。’Dear，dear，dear，’shesaid，’Ideclareit’spastone。
I’mafraidImustturnyoubothout。Onemoresitting，Isuppose，willfinishit，Conway？’
’Yes，onemore，’saidhe。ItwasalwaysunderstoodthatheandClarashouldnotleavethehousetogether，andthereforeheremainedpaintingwhenshelefttheroom。’Andnow，Conway，’saidMrsBroughton，’I
supposethatallisover？’
’Idon’tknowwhatyoumeanbybeingallover。’
’No——ofcoursenot。Youlookatitinanotherlight，nodoubt。
Everythingisbeginningforyou。Butyoumustpardonme，formyheartisdistracted——distracted——distracted！’Thenshesatdownuponthefloor，andburstintotears。Whatwashetodo？Hethoughtthatthewomanshouldeithergivehimupaltogether，ornotgivehimup。Allthisfussaboutitwasirrational！HewouldnothavemadelovetoClaraVanSieverinherroomifshehadnottoldhimtodoso！
’Maria，’hesaid，inavery...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：